"Logan liability capped for Sept. 11 terrorism"

Saturday, November 17, 2001

Logan liability capped for Sept. 11 terrorism 
The Boston (MA) Globe


The aviation-security bill approved yesterday by Congress includes a cap
on liability for Logan International Airport and the two other airports
from which hijacked planes departed on Sept. 11, Senator John F. Kerry
said yesterday. 

At a press conference near his Beacon Hill office, the Massachusetts
Democrat said the bill limits Logan's liability to the amount of its
liability insurance. 

''The liability cap was there for airlines, but not there for
airports,'' said Kerry, referring to earlier legislation that protected
airlines from liability related to the crashes. 

Phil Orlandella, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which
runs Logan, said he was not familiar with this provision of the
legislation. 

But Marshall Carter, chairman of a state commission reviewing Massport,
told the Associated Press that the agency is insured for about $1
billion. 

''That's very important,'' Carter said, adding Logan's potential legal
liability could hurt its ability to underwrite debt. ''With financially
troubled airlines, the last thing you need is financially troubled
airports,'' Carter told AP. 

The cap, which was part of the House version of the aviation-security
legislation, was added to the final bill during the conference with the
Senate. 

A Kerry aide said the provision was not added by Kerry and also applies
to Newark International Airport in New Jersey and Dulles International
Airport near Washington, D.C. 

On Sept. 11, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Flight 175 were
hijacked after taking off from Logan and slammed into the World Trade
Center towers. American Flight 77 from Dulles crashed into the Pentagon
a short time later. United Flight 93 from Newark plunged into a field
near Pittsburgh after passengers apparently fought for control of the
jet with hijackers.

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